14 January 2008
Pretoria's Richard Sterne returned to the European and Sunshine Tour's winner's circle for the third time as he claimed the Joburg Open title in a thrilling sudden-death playoff at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington on Sunday.
Sweden's Magnus Carlsson and Garth Mulroy, born in Durban but based in the United States, were the other golfers in the playoff and they seemed to have the advantage when Sterne drove into a fairway bunker on the first extra hole.
Brilliant response
The diminutive 26-year-old, however, responded brilliantly by producing an astonishing stroke to stay alive. With the ball nestling close to the lip of the bunker, Sterne called a four-iron into service and he fired it all of 200 metres to land 15 feet from the
hole.
He called it a crucial moment in his triumph.
"It was close all day, so it required some special things to win. That was a pretty impressive shot, even if I say so myself.
"I thought about laying up, but it was a playoff and a 50/50 shot, so it was on," Sterne said. Neither Carlsson nor Mulroy could improve on Sterne’s four on the par-five 18th hole, where the playoff was staged.
Errant drives
So the trio went back to the tee and this time Carlsson and Mulroy could not recover from their errant drives into the fairway bunker.
Sterne slotted a big drive down the fairway and then hit a fantastic approach shot to within 10 feet of the flag, from where he two-putted for victory.
Overnight leader Mark Murless was left lamenting a putter that routinely missed from close range as he slipped to a two-over-par 73 that left him on nine-under overall and in a tie for fifth.
Former amateur star Louis Moolman made a telling charge on the front nine and holed his approach shot on the par-four 10th for an eagle that gave him a share of the lead with Mulroy on 11-under.
Strong effort
The 21-year-old, after his early charge, then came undone on the back nine with three bogeys, but his fifth-place finish was a strong effort in his first professional tournament.
Ditto Tyrone Ferreira. The number one amateur in 2007, who began the day in a tie for second, two strokes behind Murless, shot a one-over-par 72 on Sunday to finish eighth.
A bogey on the par-four first hole left Sterne with a five-stroke deficit from the outset, but he dug deep and four birdies on the back nine saw him surge past Murless, Sven Struver and Ferreira, who were all in the final three-ball.
Birdies on the last two holes completed Sterne's fightback, but he needed two extra holes to shake off Mulroy and Carlsson.
Closing
holes
Mulroy was already on 13-under after a brilliant tee-shot set up a birdie on the par-three 16th, but he managed only pars on the last two holes.
Carlsson, a little-known Challenge Tour graduate, emerged as an unlikely contender with three birdies on each loop, including a birdie-birdie finish that at least guaranteed a hefty pay day if not a maiden European Tour victory.
Former world top-tenner Darren Clarke said his game was almost there after a 68 left him in fourth place, while defending champion Ariel Canete shared ninth place with Englishmen Ian Garbutt and Paul Waring, South African Dawie van der Walt, and Struver on seven-under.
Hardfought win
Sterne, who seemed immune to pressure as he cruised through the final holes, admitted afterwards that the exciting win had taken its toll.
"It was a tough day and it took a lot out of me. I haven't felt great the last couple of days, but I surprised myself today," Sterne said as his triumph sunk in.
"I hate finishing tied second with guys, so the last two holes were really big.
"On 17, I was 90 yards out and I hit a very good shot and then made a good four-foot putt. And then I hit two very good shots on 18 and gave myself a chance."
The next big star
The informed word along the fairways and golf club corridors is that Sterne is South Africa's next big star and 2008 will be a big year for the former amateur standout.
He made excellent progress in 2007, quietly rising to 44th in the official world golf rankings by the end of the year. His victory in Johannesburg has lifted him to a career high 33rd position, sixth among South Africans, behind Ernie Els (5th), Rory Sabbatini (11th), Trevor Immelman (19th), Retief Goosen (26th), and Tim Clark (31st).
"It's always nice to do well in the first event of the year. I'll be going to the United States, which will be a learning curve. Going to the Masters has always been a dream, so that will be exciting. There are so many stories about Augusta and now I can see them first hand," he said.
Source: Sunshine Tour
